Improvement in



UNITED STATES PATENT Gwinn@ OBADIAH BLATHAM, OF SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN OIL-WELL TUBES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,234, dated July 10,1866.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, O. B. LATHAM, of Seneca Falls, county of Seneca, andState of New York,have invented a new and useful Shut-Off for lVellsg.and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear and exactdescription ofthe construction and operation of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is atransverse section through the line au, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection-through the line c c, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionthrough line w zo, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through line:v x, Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through line y y, Fig.3.

In order that persons skilled in the art may be enabled to construct andoperate my machine, I will proceed to describe it.

Like letters in different figures refer to like parts.

This invention consists in certain devices,

hereinafter fully described, for the purpose of preventing water orother substance from passing below or above any required point in an oilor water well, and also for the purpose of preventing the apparatus fromgetting fast in the well from an accumulation of debris above it.

A is the main pump-tube, running from the top of the well down to thefunnel-shaped socket B, into which it is screwed. The use of thefunnel-shaped socket, which is of a diameter at its upper edge equal tothat of the well less an eighth of an inch or thereabout, is to checkdbris in its downward progress. It is screwed upon the hollow cylinderC, which is slightly elliptical in form, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed. Said cylinder is screwed within the flange d of the hollowtruncated cone D, the lower edge of which is made about an eighth of aninch blunt, so as to form a shoulder for the purpose of preventing theshut-off E from sliding up on the cone while `the apparatus is beinglowered into the well.

i is a band of a shape corresponding to that of the cylinder C, withinwhich it is fitted to work freely, and is securely fastened to the topof the pump-tube H. Its minor axis is equal to the diameter of the saidtube, `which ends in a solid chisel, G, resting upon the bottom of thewell. The chisel sustains the whole apy paratus, prevents any rotationof the tube H, and secures the immobility of the cylinder C by means ofthe elliptical shape of said cylinder and of the band i'.

E is the shut-off, so called, 'consisting of gutta-percha or otherelastic or flexible mate.A

rial, of a diameter a little less than that ofthe well, so that it maybe' raised or lowered therein freely. When in use the shut-off is forcedtightly against the circumference of the well by the pressure of thehollow truncated cone D, which is driven between the tube H and theshutoff by the weight of the main pump- 'tube A and of whatever debrismay be upheld by the funnel-shaped socket B. As soon as the passage ofwater past the shut-off is stopped in this way and a vacuum createdbeneath, the pressure of the s uperincumbent water is eX- erted upon theshut-off, together with that of the atmosphere above the shut-off. Itwill be seen that by this arrangement the power exerted to expand thecutoff is always proportionate to and greater than the resistance to beovercome.

F is a ange screwed upon the tube H for the purpose of sustaining theshutoff under pressure.

Whenever it is desired to change the location of the apparatus, if themass of debris resting upon the funnel-shaped socket B impedes theoperation, it is only necessary to remove the pumping apparatus fromwithin the tubes A and H, unscrew the tube A from thef cylinderG, (whichis prevented from becoming itself unscrewed during the operation by theimmobility secured to it through its elliptical shape from the chiselGr,) and raise the tube to a sufficient height to allow the dbris tofall into the cylinder G and tube H through the funnel-shaped socket B.The tubeAmay then be lowered till it strikes the funnel-shaped socket,which cannot fail to guide it to its proper orifice, into which it is tobe again screwed. The truncated cone D is then to be lifted up from itsposition between the tube H and the shut-off E, when the latter willresume its original dimensions. The whole apparatus is then to be raisedto the surface,the inclosed dbris emptied out, and the apparatus loweredagain to any position desired.

The pumpcylinder (not shown in the dra-wings) is situated between thechisel Gand the end of the pump-tube H, and is not subject to change ofposition. Whenever it is desired to increase or diminish the distancebetween the shut-off and the chisel, lengths of pipe are to be added toor taken from the tube H. The shut-off can be located and worked toperfection at any depth.

I is a pipe sometimes made use of, running through holes drilled in thefunnelshaped socket B, iiange d, shut-off E, and flange F, in whichlatter it is made fast, while the funnelshaped socket and flange l workfreely upon it. rIhis pipeis intended as ameans of egress for gasconlined' below the shut-off', or of iugress for air from above theshut-off, forced down by atmospheric or other pressure to promote theiiow of oil into the pump-cylinder.

It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 5 that when the pipe I isused a depression is made in the cylinder C to accommodate said pipe.Acorresponding depression being made in the band i, the necessity of thecylinder and band being made elliptical is avoided.

e is a han ge screwed upon the cylinder C and griping, in conjunctionwith the iiange d., the upper edge of a sack, f, consisting of leather,bladder, or other suitable material, the lower edge of which is gripedbetween the iianges F and g, screwed upon the cylinder H for thepurpose. The sack f is made water-tight, and when in use is lled withwater. It subserves the double purpose of a packing and protection tothe shut-ofi' E from the destruct-ive action of oil, as no oil canpenetrate to the shutoff from the outside, and whatever leaks into thesack from the inside floats upon the surface of the water above theshut-off'. It is only to be used for this purpose when the shut-oft islocated at an oil-yielding stratum. It is to be used as a packing whenit is desired to locate the shut-oftl in mud or at a point where thewalls of the well are considerably irregular. It possesses peculiaradvantages for this purpose. Its diameter can be increased suddenly bythe pressure before spoken of, which operates it to any extent required,and it forms an immovable packing as long as the pressure continues.

When it is required to change the location of or withdraw the apparatus,it is easily and quickly elongated, and thus gotten out of the way bythe upward pull. It is to be used or not, either in combination or notin combination with the shut-off, as occasion may require.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The cylinder@ and band i, varying from a true circle, and arranged,in relation to the cylinder H and an external packing device,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. rlhe sack f, when used in combination with the parts Il, F, G, E, D,and d, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The chisel G, when used in combination with the described apparatus,for the purpose set forth.

4. The whole apparatus, arranged as described.

O. B. LAIHAM.

Witnesses GEO. E. BROWN, A. MOORE.

